For achieving optimum performance, a supply voltage for an electronic component (e.g. a semiconductor component) or an electronic circuit (e.g. a semiconductor circuit) may exceed a nominal supply voltage level. A supply voltage higher than the nominal supply voltage may lead to a reduced life-time of the electronic component or circuit, i.e., a reliability of the electronic component or circuit may be reduced. For example, for a transistor, exceeding the nominal supply voltage level may cause a variety of degradation processes and lead to transistor wear. The transistor may, e.g., be subject to hot carrier degradation (HCD) due to hot carrier injection in the transistor's semiconductor material, bias temperature instability (BTI), or time dependent dielectric breakdown (TDDB).
For monitoring the reliability of an electronic circuit, replica circuits which mimic the aging behavior of the electronic circuit may be used. However, replica circuits are imprecise since actual stress conditions in the electronic circuit are not taken into account. Accordingly, overestimation or underestimation of the actual circuit degradation occurs. For digital circuits, timing based monitors which measure the degradation induced increase in path delays of the digital circuit may be used. However, this approach may only be used for digital circuits, not for analog circuitry. Moreover, both concepts only measure the impact of degradation on the monitored circuit—no prediction on the future degradation of the circuit is possible. Accordingly, no preventive measures for avoiding circuit failure or extending the lifetime of the circuit may be taken. Hence, there may be a desire for improved reliability monitoring of electronic components and circuits.